“We need to go now. If that human was treated half as bad as me, he’s probably dead already.” Grzak says urgently.

”Cringer, can you show me the bridge without the guard seeing either of us?”

"Yes, but we also don't want to rush in and get him killed either." Kathrine says. "Why don't we have one of these new friends of ours go and tell the goblin on the bridge he is being relieved and that the boss, this bugbear guy here, wants him in this chamber. we can then convince him that we are the new boss, and go from there."

"I'm with Kathrine. I would prefer diplomacy, especially since combat ended up with 2 dead and 3 seriously injured. I'll hold my own if it comes to it, but I'd prefer to avoid it."

The goblins chatter among themselves, and Cringer appears to draw the short straw, scampering off to ‘relieve’ the bridge guard of duty.  The party can wait against the north wall for the new goblin to walk in.

A few minutes later another goblin walks in and Thinker tells him “We have new Masters now.  You with us or you join Meathead.” He points to the unconscious goblin.  The new recruit nods and bows quickly, agreeing to accept the change in leadership.

Your new ‘friends’ show you the northern cavern.  Gabriel may wish to retrieve and re-light his torch.

This cavern is half filled with two large pools of water. A narrow waterfall high in the eastern wall feeds the pool, which drains out the western end of the chamber to form the stream that flows out of the cave mouth below. Low fieldstone walls serve as dams holding the water in. Two small passages lead west. The sound of the waterfall echoes through the cavern, making it difficult to hear.

"That path go over bridge." Thinker points to one of the western exits. "Then..." his face scrunches in concentration as he scratches a few lines in the dirt floor, trying to make a map.

You get the impression that the tunnel on the other side of the stream goes about 50' before reaching Yeemik's cave.  The goblins use hand motions to show that the cave has a lower area near the entrance and stairs up to a ledge '2 or 3 goblins high' that covers the far half of the cavern.

(OOC I should be able to post a battle map for that area when you get there)

(Hope to not need battle map...)

"Ok, well we need to see if we can draw some of those goblins out." Kathrine says with a frown at the crude map. "Do you think you can get some of them to come out if you tell them the bugbear wishes to have them come to his chamber?"

The goblins look at each other nervously and chatter among themselves.

Thinker turns to the party and says "Maybe we try this Masters, but promise, not tell Yeemik we help?  We not strong enough to go against Yeemik and gang."  He puts a protective hand on Pinky's belly.  "If they know we help and you not come back.. Pinky and I run."

The other goblins nod fearfully.

Anyone who wants to can roll a Persuasion or Intimidation check.

"All we ask is to get the other goblins out of there, and not force us to go in and kill them." Kathrine says with a frown. "I want you to do what you feel is best though, so, tell me, can you safely get your goblin companions out of there, or do we need to go in and fight them? We will likely kill this other boss goblin, so you will not have to worry about him after this." She is not using persuasion or intimidation, wishing to let the goblins tell her what they think, without trying to influence that.

“Right.” Says Grzak. “We want to free the human prisoner. Probably the only way to do that is to kill your bully and anyone who will fight to stop us. So, the more that can come to our side and help us, the fewer we kill. Understand?”

Grzak makes sure that the new goblin sees that he’s wielding Klarg’s Morningstar. He is not threatening him with it, but just so that the goblin knows that Klarg is dethroned.

To the newest goblin, Grzak asks, “What’s your name? And besides Yeemik,” Grzak holds up his thumb on his offhand, “there’s four more goblins over there,” he opens his palm extending his four fingers so now all five fingers are up, “that don’t know about us? Or are there more?”

The new goblin gives his name as something like ‘Zsqyzxch’, and Thinker says, “Call him Pie-face.”

Another flurry of goblinoid and finger counting results in Thinker holding up 6 fingers. “Yeemik plus 5 goblins equal… six!” he says proudly.

“I make Cringer go tell 2 of gang to come… any more make Yeemik doubt.”

"Does anyone else speak either Elvish or Dwarvish?" Gabriel asks the group in Elvish.

"I do." Alarion responds in the same tongue, rubbing the points of his ears.

Grzak blinks, not comprehending the musical syllables emanating from Gabriel and Alarion.

Gabriel laughs "that was a given for you Alarion." He says in common.

"What about dwarven, anyone speak that?" Said also in common. "Besides what languages we speak I had a idea." Gabriel continues to say as he starts walking around the cavern. "What if we send Thinker to tell the boss goblin that Klarg wants to speak to him alone. We could then set a quick ambush for him? Only be one death that way assuming the other goblins fall into line."

Grzak assesses the mettle of Thinker and the other goblins and has doubts that they would hold up trying to directly deceive their bully/boss. I guess maybe they could do it, he thinks to himself. But instead he offers this stream of consciousness.

”Assuming Cringer can successfully extract two more goblins to join us, that will just leave Yeemik and three other goblins. I like the idea of calling Yeemik out directly. But hear me out. What if after it’s just down to Yeemik and the three guarding the human, instead, I take up a position out of sight, around a blind corner or something and then I call out to draw Yeemik alone to us. I could shout in short words mimicking Klarg’s ordering style, “Yeemik, you turd! You come now!” I wouldn’t guess he would feel entitled to send one of the remaining goblins to answer for him, since he is being called directly, nor would he want to reduce the number of guards watching the prisoner. If he hesitates, I could follow up with, “Yeemik, you maggot! Come or I sick Ripper on you!” Hopefully a raised voice echoing in the tunnels and chambers could be mistaken for Klarg as long as it shows the correct speaking style and fills the expectation of what Yeemik would expect to hear from Klarg. I could even bang the Morningstar against the cave walls a little just in case that sound might be familiar to Yeemik. Then when he comes around the corner, we cut off his retreat, spring our ambush and relieve Yeemik of his duties.”

Grzak takes a breath and continues his train of thought. “Then we send several of our friendly goblins in to announce the new leadership, to instruct them to disarm and to bow before the new rulers of the caves. Then we make our entrance, have them swear allegiance and release the prisoner to us. And then, maybe then, one of them will have the key to rid me of this dog collar.”

Grzak looks to the party for feedback. But then the thought comes to him and he can’t help saying out loud, “If we somehow take Yeemik alive, I would love to place this collar around his neck and walk him around as our pet. Just reward for a bully, eh Thinker?” He finishes looking to Thinker and Pinky.

For the zeal and kindness of the Paladin and Cleric, the bravery of the half-elven Wizard, and the mental exhaustion the half-orc Barbarian must be experiencing with all the negotiating and strategizing… the Powers That Be are smiling.  You four have worked together to solve challenges and interact with NPCs in innovative ways… each of you gains INSPIRATION.

I’m looking forward to hearing the consensus on how you will handle this final showdown in Cragmaw Caves.  Although the adventure has just begun…

(OOC In the meantime, I’m going to force myself afk for a few hours on this beautiful Saturday ;)

"Not a bad plan my friend. Do you think you can pull off Klarg's voice, and is that the way Klarg would behave?" Gabriel asks. "Thinker would Klarg send one of you to fetch Yemmick or would he go himself? " Gabriel turns to the goblin asking his question. 

(How close was Grazk to Klarg's voice?)

(OOC: I'll also be afk for most of today, got a student getting ready to test for his black belt so doing a extra class, and yeah it's a beautiful Saturday! )

Pinky and Thinker laugh at the thought of Yeemik being on a leash. 

"Voice good, but Klarg always say his name, like 'Klarg say you come Now'" 

(Kathrine speaks Common, Dwarvish, Elvish, and Halfling)

"Seems like a solid plan." Kathrine agrees. "Let's see if our new friends can get a couple more of their fellow goblins out first, then we can give it a try."